William henry joseph lance



(No Model.)

W. H. J. LANCE RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No. 586,609. Patented July 20, 1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT. OEEIcE.

VILLIAM HENRY JOSEPH LANCE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 586,609, dated July 20,1897.

Application filed January 28, 1897. Serial No. 621,036. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LWILLTAM HENRY J osEPH LAN OE, a subject of the Queenof Great Britain, residing at Pinner, London, in the county ofMiddlesex, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRailway-Signals, of which the followingis a full and completespecification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to whichitappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to railway-signals; and the object thereof is toprovide an im proved signal apparatus of this class by means of whichthe time which has elapsed after a train passes a certain point orpoints where the signal apparatus is located may be definitely andeasily determined.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, ofwhich the accompanying drawings form a part, in which Figure 1 is asectional side view of my improved signal apparatus andshowingatransverse section of a railway-track, and Fig. 2 a plan view ofthat portion of the track adjacent to the signal apparatus.

In the drawings forming part of this specification the separate parts ofmy improve ment are designated by the same numerals of reference, and insaid drawings 1 have shown in Fig. 1 a section of a railway-track whichconsists of the usual rails 5 and the ties 6, and in the practice of myinvention I place at any desired point along the track or at any stationor wherever a signal apparatus for the purpose specified is required asuitable post 7. The post 7 is provided at its upper end with a casing8, which is mounted thereon or secured thereto in any desired manner,and the casing 8 is preferably cylindrical in form, and the top thereofis provided with a circular opening 9 and the bottom with acorresponding opening 10.

Mounted within the casing 8 at each side thereof are vertical guides orstandards 11, and within the casing 8 is a vertically-mow ablecylindrical receptacle 12, which is closed at its lower end and open atits upper end and which is provided at its opposite sides with sleevesor keepers 13, which are adapted to slide on the standards or guides 11.

Within the receptacle 12 is a cylindrical casing 14, which is secured tothe top of the casing 8 and the upper end of which is closed andprovided with a tubular upwardly-directed extension 15, which passesthrough the opening 9 in the top of the casing 8, and the lower end ofthe casing lat is provided with a central opening 16, centrally of whichis formed a spider 17, and another spider or guide-frame 18 is securedin the casing 1i, near the bottom thereof, and passing verti callythrough said spiders 17 and 18 is a vertically-movable rod 19, on whichis secured a float 20, which is free to move in the casing 14-.

The rod 19 passes upwardly into the tubular extension 15 of the casing14;, and said tubular extension is provided at its opposite sides withvertical slots or openings 21, and

at one side of said slots or openings on each side of the tubularextension is a scale 22, which represents hours and fractions thereof.

Mounted on the rod 19, adjacent to the lower end thereof, is a valve 23,in which is formed a small vertical passage 24:, and the valve 23 isadapted to close the port or opening in the bottom of the casing 14:,and in practice the receptacle 12 is filled or partially filled with afluid which will not freeze or congeal, except at a temperature which islower than is'ever reached in a latitude where the signal apparatus islocated.

Pivotally connected with the lower end of the receptacle 12 is a rod 25,the lower end of which is pivotally connected at 26 with a lever 27,which is pivoted at or near the lower end of the post 7, as shown at-28, and pivotally connected with the lever 27 at a point slightly aboveand parallel with the ties 6 of the railway-track is a rod 29, whichpasses through the adjacent rail 5 and which is con nected in anydesired manner at 30 with a spring plate or bar 31, the ends of whichpress against the side of the body portion of the rail 5, through whichthe rod 29 passes, and the central portion of which is curved inwardlyor in the direction of the opposite rail.

The lever 27 is provided above its pivotal connection with the rod 29with a weight 32 and also with a chain or other fastening device 33, oneend of which is connected with the post 7, and the operation will bereadily understood from the foregoing description when taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings and the following statementthereof.

The spring plate or bar 31 or the central portion thereof is adapted tobe forced outwardly against the body portion of the rail 5, throughwhich the rod 29 passes, by the flange or rim of the car-wheels as theypass the point where the signal apparatus is located, and in thisoperation either one or both of the ends of the spring plate or bar 31slide along the rail, so as to permit the central portion thereof to beforced outwardly, and after the train has passed the said spring plateor bar again assumes the position shown in Fig. 2. As the train passesthe spring plate or bar 31 or the central portion thereof is forcedoutwardly, as described, by the flanges oi the ear-wheels, and thisoperation raises the rod 25 and the casing 12 and forces the liquidtherein up through the central opening in the bottom of the receptaclell, the rod 1.), the l'loat 20, and the valve 2t being raised withinsaid casing ll as the liquid is forced thereinto. The spring plate orbar 31 is of such length that the rod 20 is held in its outermostposition until the entire train has passed, after which saidspring-plate and the weight on the lever 27 will operate to lower thecasing to its normal position and the valve 23 will drop upon its seatand the liquid within the casing llwill be gradually fed through thesmall opening Z-l in the valve 93, and as the float 20 descends itcarries with it the rod 10, and the upper end of this rod serves as apointer to indicate on the scale 22 the time which has elapsed since thepassage of the train.

The chain 33 serves to prevent the lever 27 from moving outwardly toofar; but this chain may or may not be employed, and the spring plate orbar 31 may be composed of two pieces, if desired, and other changes inand modifications of the construction herein described may be madewithout departing from the spirit of myinvention or sacrificing itsadvantages.

My improved signal apparatus is well adapted to accomplish the resultfor which it is intended and is also comparatively inexpensive and maybe located at any desired point or at any station along therailwaytrack.

Having fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. In a railway signal apparatus, the combination withan upright post or standard which is provided with a casing at its upperend, of a vertically movable receptacle mounted in said casing and openat its upper end and closed at its lower end, a stationary casingmounted in said receptacle, and provided with a tubular extension at itsupper end which projects through an opening in the top of the casing inwhich the receptacle is mounted, said tubular extension being providedwith a vertical slot or opening in the side thereof, adjacent to whichis a scale, and said stationary casing being also provided with anopening in its lower end, a verticallymovable rod mounted in said casingand provided with a valve which is adapted to close said opening, saidmovable rod being also provided with a float which is mounted there onabove said valve, said valve being provided with a small port oropening, and devices connected with the lower end of thevertically-movable receptacle and with one of the rails of the track andadapted to be operated by a passing train so as to raise and lower saidreceptacle substantially as shown and described.

2. In a railway signal apparatus, the combination with an upright postor standard which is provided with a casing at its upper end, of avertically movable receptacle mounted in said casing and open at itsupper end and closed at its lower end, a stationary casing mounted insaid receptacle, and provided with a tubular extension at its upper endwhich projects through an opening in the top of the casing in which thereceptacle is mounted, said tubular extension being provided with avertical slot or opening in the side thereof, adjacent to which is ascale, and said stationary casing being also provided with an opening inits lower end, a vertically movable rod mounted in said casing, andprovided with a valve which is adapted to close said opening, saidmovable rod being also provided with a iloatwhich is mounted there onabove said valve, said valve being provided with a small port oropening, and de vices connected with the lower end of thevertically-movable receptacle and with one of the rails of the track andadapted to be operated by a passing train, so as to raise and lower saidreceptacle,consisting of a rod which is pivotally connected with thelower end of said casing, and with a lever which is pivotally connectedtherewith, and one end of which is pivotallysupported at the bottom ofthe post or standard, and a rod which is pivotally connected with saidlever, and passed through the adjacent rail of the track, and connectedwith a spring plate or bar the centralportion of which is inwardlycurved, and the ends of which bear on said rail of the track,substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 12th day ofJanuary, 1897.

WILLIAM llllXlil' JOSEPH lANtil.

Witnesses:

GERALD FlTZu-XLLAN Brno, Oaaunns IIALE.

IOC

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